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2012 cruising the waterways in Almyne

Dfer on the roof of Almyne
1st July
Stoke on Trent to Kidsgrove, 5 3/4 miles 1 tunnel repeat
Clive decided to go along the Caldon canal as he knew that I would not be allowed to tow him through Harecastle tunnel. Yet again I missed the skeleton in the tunnel.
Spent a few days in Kidsgrove shopping and looking around. They have a good auto spares shop where I got a fan belt and engine oil especially for a Lister SR2.
2nd July
Kidsgrove to Congleton 6 miles 1 lock repeat
Lock 12 on the Macclesfield canal is an odd one. Entering it from the south you have to pass through a very narrow channel, the width and length of a lock before reaching the lock proper, which is little more than a stop lock anyway. I have since found out there there were originally TWO locks here, each owned by a different canal company both for the purpose of gauging and charging for passage.
Anyway, whilst working this lock a woman with a dog not unlike D'fer came along. She picked up a stick and threw it across the lock, whereupon her dog leapt from one side of the lock to the other with a single bound from a standing start. I later found out that she has a boat moored at Red Bull. I was impressed but have decided not to try to encourage D'fer to duplicate this trick as he only has to miss once at a deep lock and he could be in real trouble.
Moored up by the Aqueduct and walked into Congleton to do some shopping, got a couple more Lee Child books.
3rd July 2012
Congleton to Dane Aqueduct 5 miles repeat
Moored up just below the flight which I will tackle first thing in the morning. I like to attack a flight of locks early on in the day so that I don't have anyone ahead of me holding me up.
4th July 2012
Dane Aqueduct to Macclesfield 6 miles 12 locks repeat
Set off early and got chatting to a guy who was walking his greyhound while I was working the first lock. He offered to go ahead and set the next lock for me if I would give him a windlass. Well, an offer I couldn't refuse. Flew up the flight as every lock was ready for me. At the top he returned my windlass and I thanked him most sincerely. Apparently it was the first time he had ever worked a lock and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Continued on to Macclesfield where I went into town to see what was about.
5th July 2012 Dane Aqueduct to Macclesfield 6 miles 12 locks repeat
This guy is a serious Off Grid radio enthusiast, twelve solar panels and the biggest aerial array I have seen on any boat anywhere.
Closely followed by the smallest passenger aeroplane I have ever seen, truly a micro micro lite.

 

7th July 2012 Macclesfield to Bollington 3 miles repeat
Spotted this on the way through Macclesfield.
Moored up and settled down in a chair to take in the sun.

 

 

 

 

8th July 2012 Macclesfield to Bollington 3 miles repeat
D'fer surveying the surroundings to see if there is anyone around to play with.

 

9th July 2012

While I was getting lunch a woman arrived and I helped her to moor up. She was a bit cautious of D'fer as she had in the past had bad experiences of big dogs. She did express the worry that he was wagging his tail and this might be because he liked biting people. I assured her that D'fer was really friendly and no problem at all.
Chatted for a while and it turns out that the likes to play scrabble, so I suggested that we have a game later on in the afternoon if she liked the idea. She did, and we did.